Flavored Cuttlebone?

JanelP

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depending on the minerals. I would hate to give the tortoise urinary stone for too many minerals. mine hates cuttlebones as well, even when I sprinkle calcium over the veggies she wont touch them. I'm looking for ideas on what to do as well.
 

RosemaryDW

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Tortoises can go a looong time without showing interest in cuttlebone. They eat it when they need it. I don’t think I’d want or need anything extra on it.

If you are really worried about minerals, I’d suggest investing in one the powdered supplements recommended on the forum. A few more dollars, I think? But you could feel more comfortable with them than this.
 

Redfool

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I read in other posts where you feed your torts Mazuri. It contains a good amount of calcium carbonate. With cuttle bone, which is another source of CaCO3., RFs will only eat it if they need it. My torts get powdered calcium carbonate supplement from Jul. to Dec., egg laying season. They don’t like it but they like food more. Just plain calcium carbonate from a health food store is fine for outside RFs as UV from sunlight allows them to metabolize CaCO3. Inside, you need the UV lights.
 

daniellenc

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I read in other posts where you feed your torts Mazuri. It contains a good amount of calcium carbonate. With cuttle bone, which is another source of CaCO3., RFs will only eat it if they need it. My torts get powdered calcium carbonate supplement from Jul. to Dec., egg laying season. They don’t like it but they like food more. Just plain calcium carbonate from a health food store is fine for outside RFs as UV from sunlight allows them to metabolize CaCO3. Inside, you need the UV lights.
He was eating his mulch! I ordered the Repashy herbavor supplement today to be sure. Currently he gets reptical calcium with D3 but hates it and has cuttlebone at all times. The past 2 months now that weeds are plentiful he’s decided he doesn’t like real food so I’m on a tough love diet. It goes like this: here’s your weeds eat or starve. Hasta, Lilac leaves, rose of Sharon leaves, dandelion flowers and leaves, clover, plantain, testudo seed mix, wild violet flowers and leaves.....You get the idea. He’s chosen cypress mulch lol. So I’ll try this on his weeds but so far I’m caving on fruit twice a week or red pepper but WEEDS! Until he goes back to his prewinter self there is no Mazuri or grocery store greens.
 

Redfool

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He was eating his mulch! I ordered the Repashy herbavor supplement today to be sure. Currently he gets reptical calcium with D3 but hates it and has cuttlebone at all times. The past 2 months now that weeds are plentiful he’s decided he doesn’t like real food so I’m on a tough love diet. It goes like this: here’s your weeds eat or starve. Hasta, Lilac leaves, rose of Sharon leaves, dandelion flowers and leaves, clover, plantain, testudo seed mix, wild violet flowers and leaves.....You get the idea. He’s chosen cypress mulch lol. So I’ll try this on his weeds but so far I’m caving on fruit twice a week or red pepper but WEEDS! Until he goes back to his prewinter self there is no Mazuri or grocery store greens.

I don’t want to be mean but...Skurt seems to be acting like my grandson, a spoiled brat which is OK as long as I’m the one doing the spoiling. Does he look at you and smirk when he takes a bit of mulch?
 

daniellenc

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3BA422A3-F807-4FF3-9EE6-4A545F4E4A7A.jpeg
I don’t want to be mean but...Skurt seems to be acting like my grandson, a spoiled brat which is OK as long as I’m the one doing the spoiling. Does he look at you and smirk when he takes a bit of mulch?
No he stands in front of his weeds for 20 minutes NOT eating and goes back to bed. He’ll eat radicchio and chicories store bought. Arugula but nothing hearty anymore. If you remember he hated Mazuri for a long time. Once he liked it and winter came when I relied on my store he thought spicy mix was it with Mazuri and fruit. Protein once a month. I don’t have grandkids yet. But my teens eat most anything. I was the mom who served your dinner for breakfast lol
 

Loni

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I saw this
"Lifetime liquid Calcium Magnesium Citrate (I prefer the blueberry flavor, the smell is quite strong)"
in a gel food supplement recipe posted by Kristina. I googled it and it is still available so I am getting it for me and my tortoise. I thought a drop in the drinking or bath water?
 

ZEROPILOT

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I've never had a tortoise that was just crazy for calcium powder or cuttlebone.
But then out of the blue. One day, it'll get chomped apart.
I would not use the flavored ones. The type I've seen are pressed powder in the shape of a cuttlebone. The ones in your photo are a real one encased in a pressed powder.
Just swap it out as it gets nasty.
Places that sell pet birds often sell broken cuttlebone pieces cheaply.
 

tortoiseplanet

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Cactus and turnip greens are high in calcium. I don’t dust them when I feed. It’s a good additive if your tortoise doesn’t like any calcium supplements.
 

daniellenc

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Cactus and turnip greens are high in calcium. I don’t dust them when I feed. It’s a good additive if your tortoise doesn’t like any calcium supplements.
My guy gets lots of high calcium foods daily but won’t chew his cuttlebone and walks away from greens with the most minuscule of calcium dusting. Using the Repashy now and he will relent after a night and eat his greens with that so I think we’re good.
 

tortoiseplanet

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My guy gets lots of high calcium foods daily but won’t chew his cuttlebone and walks away from greens with the most minuscule of calcium dusting. Using the Repashy now and he will relent after a night and eat his greens with that so I think we’re good.

If you already feed a lot of high calcium foods then you don’t need to feed supplements. Tortoises know when they need calcium, which is why your tortoise isn’t eating them. Too much calcium will lead to kidney stones. Feed in moderation.
 

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